stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

15

it had been a few days since your arrival back in liyue and your stay at the northland bank. at day time, you would occasionally visit ying'er at her shop to help out with some errands. you didn't have anything else to do, so you chose to follow your routine before you got involved with the fatui again.

"does this box go here?" you asked shopkeeper who was busy writing down notes on her table.

"yup!" she replies.

you placed the box down and dusted your hands, "anything else you need help with?"

"no, it's all good now. thanks a bunch [Y/N]!" ying'er giggles, tucking a piece of her brown hair behind her ear.

"so this is where you've been hanging about." unexpectedly, a certain ginger enters the shop with one hand on his hips.

your eyes widened, "what are you doing here?"

after days of pondering and pushing yourself to finally ask him about the ball, you still haven't done it. when he'd come home for dinner you would start the sentence, but end up taking it back from him poking fun at your stammering.

"i happened to be walking down the harbor when i spotted you from outside." he averts his gaze to ying'er who has been mischievously smiling the whole time. "it's great to see you again, madam ying'er."

"master childe, it's been a while!" she greets the taller man. "i am so sorry for your last order, i couldn't visit you to apologize personally!"

"it's fine, no worries. i actually preferred the last one you sent." he flashes an innocent smile, but you knew what he was actually implying.

you glared at him, knowing full well he knew that you were flustered once again. "oh? what was delivered to you then?" ying'er asked, completely unaware of the situation.

you thought that she might've forgotten about what happened back then, so you quickly changed the subject to avoid any awkwardness from happening. "are you here to buy something? bystanders aren't allowed y'know." you furrowed your brows.

"now, don't be rude [Y/N]! master childe is still our customer."

"fine then, master childe, what would you like to buy?" you smiled, the sides of your mouth twitching ever so slightly.

"i actually came for you." he says. "may i borrow [Y/N] for a while?"

ying'er nods, a bit too happy about it. "why yes of course!"

you could only wish she didn't mean that in a way where she wanted you out the shop, but you figured she was happy because she misunderstood something about you and childe.

"i'll be back tomorrow ying'er." you sighed, turning away from her and walking out the shop with childe.

"master childe, hm? why do i only like the sound of it when you say it?"

you nudged his sides with your elbow harshly, making him groan in pain. "ow!"

"what do you want? you called for me, so it must be something important."

"well, yes and no." he said. "i actually want you to meet an acquaintance of mine."

"why?"

"you want to know what happened after our battle, right?" you nod, only now realizing that you have yet to find out the aftermath of it all and what happened to aether and paimon. "well, i'll have him explain it."

you arrived at wanmin restaurant where a very familiar man sat at one of the tables. his long brown hair came into view, as his yellow hued eyes directed his gaze at you.

"zhongli?" you called out, realizing who it was.

"[Y/N], it's been a while." his calm voice greets.

"wait, you two know each other already?" a confused childe asked.

"i sometimes visit ying'er's shop before where i happen to talk to [Y/N]. if not that, then i would find her at the eating here at wanmin where i would occasionally join her." he explained.

"how are you?" you took a seat next to him, ignoring childe who pouts behind you.

"i've been well. i heard about your situation from childe, i take it that he's been good to you?"

you faked another smile, "yeah... kinda."

"hey! i've been very nice to you y'know." he argues, sitting down beside you.

zhongli lets out a small laugh, "it's nice to see you two getting along quite well."

you ended up agreeing, not wanting to take the topic of you and childe any further. chef mao, xiangling's father, took your orders and served it a while later. since childe said it was his treat, so you ordered the food you wanted to your heart's content.

while eating, zhongli had explained the situation that happened to you. how he was actually the god of contract, aka rex lapis, and how he gave the gnosis to the fatui willingly. when you learned that childe had also been deceived, you couldn't help but to laugh.

"sucks, huh?" you smirked. he just blankly stared at you and continued eating.

you heard that paimon and aether saved liyue from osial, whom childe had summoned after he lost to aether. they were now traveling back and forth through liyue and mondstadt, and was now on their journey to inazuma.

"they're alright?" you asked. zhongli nods, which made you sigh in relief.

your topics led else where, like how he was treating his mortal life and how things were gonna go now that you were part of the fatui harbingers.

you enjoyed the meal with zhongli, even though childe was nagging along the way. you remember when he used to share meals with you ever so often when you bump into each other, making small conversation about each other's day.

you got along quite well with the man, you could even say he was one of your closest acquaintance apart from ying'er.

"so, i assume you both will be off to snezhnaya soon?" zhongli asked.

you nod, frowning a bit. "yeah, unfortunately i can't stay here for long."

"i'll be going home soon too. i've been in liyue in ages i might actually miss the place." childe chuckles.

"i wish you both a safe journey back." the archon smiles.

suddenly, a thought came to mind while you were in the subject of snezhnaya. what if you asked zhongli to the ball? maybe he didn't have any problem going considering he has already made meetings with the tsaritsa himself. and as a formal man, he would have knowledge to these kinds of events.

somehow, you were okay with asking zhongli right off the bat. asking childe however, proved to be a much more difficult situation. you wondered why.

"hey zhongli, i wanted  to ask you something."

childe's ears perked.

"what is it?" he asked.

"i was wondering if you could accompany me to th–"

"oh! right! [Y/N] i forgot we had an urgent meeting with some of the new recruits!" childe suddenly exclaims, stopping you from continuing your sentence.

"huh? what do you–"

"well, looks like we better get going. see you around mr. zhongli!" in a hurry, childe grabs your wrist and pulls you out of the table.

"wait! but i–"

"alright, take care you two." zhongli waves as childe practically drags you out of the restaurant.

"childe! hold on a second!" you pulled your arm away from his grip. "i haven't even finished what i was asking him."

"i'll go."

you blinked, "what?"

"i said i'll go." he repeats, turning around to face you.

"be more specific childe."

"i'll go to the ball with you," he took your hand and held it in his. "i'll be your partner."